Prayer vigil held after tragedies

By Staff, 07/1/20 9:21 AM

PRESCOTT –  A prayer vigil was held Tuesday evening to bring the community together after two recent tragedies resulted in the deaths of Nevada County Sheriff’s Deputy Robert Missey and Darian Marlow.

The vigil was held on the lawn at the Nevada County Courthouse with more than 100 people attending. Several people spoke, urging the community to come together and reminding those present they are not alone.

Rev. Altha Palmer said we are facing things we’ve never faced before, but we need to put our faith in god and our trust in his word. He told the crowd people need to stop focusing on themselves and what they want and, instead, focus on the needs of the community. “If ever there was a time we need unity in the community, it’s now.”

Superintendent Robert Poole thanked everyone for showing up and said everyone’s help in needed for the children in the community as they are our future and are fighting things we don’t know about on a daily basis.

He was followed by Rev. Jerry Hightower, who said there’s a huge difference between a battle and a struggle. He told the crowd when we struggle, it just seems to keep going on and never ends and the cycle also seems to be never-ending. “We tend to pray for help with our struggles,” he said, “but in battle there is an end – victory.”

Hightower said we should look at this as a battle and go in prepared as we have all the weapons and armor we need every day to put on our weapons and wage warfare, but not struggle. “This is not the first or last tragedy in the community. We wake up daily knowing  we’re going into battle. I pray we all receive peace.”

Donnie Deaton was next up saying we all have troubles, but the harvest will be plentiful and believers will be healed.

Ronald Majors spoke, saying we, in Prescott, are a blended family, though the children don’t always see this. Churches, he said, aren’t demonstrating the blended family and this isn’t about color or denomination. “It shouldn’t take another tragedy to bring us together. I’m thankful to have known these young men and young people today are looking for answers.”

Majors said the people of Prescott need to show they aren’t interested in color or social status, but rather how much they can love one another. “Our young,” he said, “needs to see what this community really looks like. It’s all about how much love we have for one another.”

The Rev. Ivory Curry said before anyone gives up they should give god another chance.

Prescott Mayor Terry Oliver said the speakers said what needed to be said and his heart goes out to everyone. “We’ve lost young and old this week,” he continued, saying Delbert Ducharme recently died from COVID-19, the third person in Prescott to die from the virus. “It’s time we lean on each other and get along; quit bickering and think of the good memories. This is Prescott.”

Ann Jordan said her daughter, Ebony is a licensed therapist and has volunteered her services to anyone needing counseling. “We need to talk and release what we feel. I hate we had to come together like this, but we’re all we’ve got and it’s time to come together.”

The vigil lasted a little longer than 30 minutes and was put together by Oliver and his wife, Julie, the Nevada County Clerk. No one seemed to mind standing in the hot sun during the vigil, and there were plenty of hugs at the end.